Former Creative Scotland chair Richard Findlay dies aged 73

Former Creative Scotland chair Richard Findlay has died, just days after stepping down from his role at the funding body.

Findlay’s family confirmed he died on July 8, having stepped down from Creative Scotland earlier that week due to ill health. He was 73.

Findlay had been chair of Creative Scotland since 2015, and was a former chair of broadcaster STV as well as being the founding chair of the National Theatre of Scotland.

A graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, he began his career as an actor before moving into the media, becoming chief executive of Scottish Radio Holdings.

Janet Archer, chief executive of Creative Scotland, said: “All of us at Creative Scotland are profoundly saddened to hear the news of Richard’s death. Our thoughts are with his family and close friends at this difficult and very private time.”

Tributes also came from figures including Vicky Featherstone, the National Theatre of Scotland’s founding artistic director.

She tweeted: “Deeply saddened by the death of Richard Findlay. An adventurer and gentle radical. He took the biggest risk with me. I owe him everything.”